album/music stuff March 2010

Album Reviews

Cheryl Cole `3 Words' (Universal Music Korea) Pop sweetheart Cheryl Cole first made waves in the U.K. as a member of Girls Aloud, then as the wronged wife of footballer Ashley Cole (their separation made tabloid headlines last week), and as a judge on X-Factor. Now, it's her debut solo album, ``3 Words,'' that's creating a buzz. With the Black Eyed Peas (BEP) front man Will.I.Am as executive producer, Cole has come up with an enjoyable album of hip-hop-influenced pop songs. He is even featured on three tracks ― ``3 Words,'' ``Boy Like You'' and ``Heaven'' ― which have a distinctive BEP sound. Cole does well on catchy numbers like ``Stand Up'' and ``Parachute.'' If Cole's voice sounds familiar, she was briefly featured in Will.I.Am's solo hit ``Heartbreaker.'' / Cathy Rose A. Garcia Owl City `Ocean Eyes' (Universal Music Korea) Owl City is one of the many musical acts that have landed record deals, after attracting fans on the Internet. The band's name is the pseudonym for young American musician Adam Young. Young posted his music on his MySpace page, released two independent albums, and now, he's signed to Universal. Listening to ``Ocean Eyes,'' it's easy to see why Owl City's music has connected with so many fans. It's an album filled with electronic pop melodies with an almost unfailingly cheerful and positive vibe, as exemplified by ``Hello Seattle,'' ``Hot Air Balloon'' and ``Vanilla Twilight.'' The breakout hit is ``Fireflies,'' with its fanciful beats and hopeful lyrics, which topped the charts in the U.S. and the U.K. last year. / Cathy Rose A. Garcia George Winston `Love Will Come: The Music of Vince Guaraldi: Vol. 2' (SonyBMG) New Age pianist George Winston's new album of piano solos features compositions by Vince Guaraldi (1928-1976), a San Francisco-based jazz pianist. Guaraldi is most famous for composing the scores for the animated "Peanuts" specials. Winston was a fan of the Peanuts cartoons, and wanted to pay tribute to Guaraldi through this album. ``Love Will Come'' is the follow-up to Winston's first album devoted to Guaraldi, ``Linus and Lucy'' (1996). Winston ably reinterprets not just "Peanuts" tunes like ``Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown'' and ``You're Elected, Charlie Brown,'' but also lesser known Guaraldi works like the samba-flavored ``Brasilia'' and the jazzy ``Air Music.'' / Cathy Rose A. Garcia

Jamie Cullum's First Concert in Seoul

British jazz musician Jamie Cullum will delight Korean fans at his first concert in Seoul at the Melon-AX Hall, Gwangjang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, April 4. / Courtesy of Private Curve By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter British jazz singer-songwriter Jamie Cullum will hit the stage in Seoul for the first time in April. Cullum will perform April 10 at the Melon-AX Hall, Gwangjang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. The 30-year-old dabbles in crossover, jazz, pop and soul music, and also plays the piano, guitar and drums. In 1999, Cullum independently released his first album, ``Jamie Cullum Trio ― Heard it All.'' His second album, ``Pointless Nostalgic,'' came out in early 2003, which attracted attention from top record labels. He signed a deal with Universal Music, and immediately released ``Twentysomething.'' It proved to be a big hit, becoming the no.1 album by a jazz artist in the U.K. Cullum followed it up with ``Catching Tales'' in 2005. His last two albums have sold over four million copies around the world. Recognized for his music, the British musician took home the Rising Star Award from the British Jazz Awards in 2003. He has been nominated several times at the Brit Awards, including British Breakthrough Act in 2004. In 2005, he was voted Artist of the Year by listeners of BBC Radio 2 for the BBC Jazz Awards. Cullum collaborated with his older brother Ben for a dance music project ``BC vs. JC,'' and artists such as Pharrell Williams, the Count Basie Orchestra and Japan's Soil & Pimp Sessions. He also concentrated on charity work as UNICEF's Goodwill Ambassador to Ethiopia. The musician co-wrote the theme song for the Clint Eastwood film ``Gran Torino,'' which was nominated for Best Original Song at the 2008 Golden Globe Awards. He returned to the recording studio and released ``The Pursuit,'' last year. The album, his first in four years, shows him experimenting with different genres, such as swing, Broadway, dance and classic jazz. ``I like that this album journeys from a big-band track at the start to a proggy (progressive) house/dance track at the end, because it's all me. But if the only thing that people notice is that this album is stylistically all over the place, then I will feel I have failed in some way,'' Cullum said on his Web site. There's a fresh vibe throughout his album, from the first single, ``I'm All Over It,'' to unique remakes of Rihanna's ``Don't Stop the Music'' and Cole Porter's ``Just One Of Those Things.'' The album title, ``The Pursuit,'' is taken from Nancy Mitford's novel ``The Pursuit of Love.'' ``The line in `Love Ain't Gonna Let You Down' that says, 'The pursuit of love consumes us all' is a reference to that. The reason I made it the album title was that I've come to realize that life is one long pursuit. Being a musician is not about any obvious goal; it's about appreciating the journey as opposed to the destination,'' Cullum said. He has cultivated a reputation as a charismatic stage performer. His concerts are often spontaneous and rarely have a set list. He also likes to improvise a lot, not just with jazz music but different genres as well. The Seoul concert starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are 99,000 won. Visit ticket.interpark.com or call 1544-1555. To get to Melon-AX, get off at Gwangnaru Station line 5, exit 2. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Album Reviews

Amerie `In Love and War' (Universal Music Korea) R&B singer Amerie is finally back with her fourth album, ``In Love and War,'' her first with Def Jam Records. With L.A. Reid as executive producer, it's not surprising the album has a lot of radio-friendly R&B and polished dance tracks. Her first single ``Heard `Em All'' follows the same pop-dance formula perfected by Beyonce, but Amerie gives a good effort at making it her own. There's a string of percussive dance tracks ― ``Tell Me You Love Me,'' ``Dangerous'' and ``Higher'' ― but before listeners can get bored, she shifts to mid-tempo R&B and ballads. She collaborates with Trey Songz on ``Pretty Brown,'' and Fabolous on ``More Than Love.'' Amerie, whose mother is Korean, included a special Korean version of ``Heard 'Em All'' with K-pop girl group 4Minute. -Cathy Rose A. Garcia Little Boots `Hands' (Warner Music Korea) English electro-pop act Little Boots is considered one of the rising stars in the British music scene. Little Boots, whose real name is Victoria Hesketh, is a classically trained pianist, songwriter, onetime YouTube star (she sang Madonna covers in her pajamas) and also plays a Japanese electronic instrument called ``Tenori-on.'' Her debut album, ``Hands,'' features several well-crafted electronic pop and dance tunes that invite comparisons with Lady Gaga and Kylie Minogue. The first single ``New in Town'' offers an infectious chorus, and prepares listeners for the futuristic electronic beats of the rest of the album. The real standout track is ``Stuck on Repeat.'' Some songs are weak, like ``Tune Into You'' and ``Symmetry,'' a duet with Phil Oakey of The Human League. -Cathy Rose A. Garcia

Pink Martini's Music Takes Fans Around the World

China Forbes, lead singer of Pink Martini, will be performing with the rest of the orchestra band at Melon-AX, Saturday. / Courtesy of Private Curve By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter American orchestra band Pink Martini is promising to take fans on a ``rollicking around-the-world musical adventure'' when it hits the stage in Seoul on Saturday. ``Our Korean audience can expect to travel all around the world for the price of one concert ticket. Our music includes all different genres in many different languages, and so the audience will be able to have a special musical experience with us. Our Korean fans should expect a lot of dancing, too,'' China Forbes, Pink Martini's lead vocalist, told The Korea Times in an e-mail interview. Pink Martini is best known for its unique musical style ― a frothy mix of different genres and languages. The band is the brainchild of pianist Thomas Lauderdale. In 1994, he invited Forbes, an old friend from Harvard, to be the band's lead singer. ``We would share our favorite music with each other and sing arias together in the college dormitory. Some years later after graduation, Thomas called me up and asked me if I would be interested in joining him. We started Pink Martini with four to five musicians initially, then Thomas included more musicians, eventually becoming the little orchestra it is now, composed of 14 members,'' Forbes said. As for the band's quirky name, Forbes said it is a nod to classic films like ``Breakfast at Tiffany's'' and ``Pink Panther,'' which Lauderdale loved and was inspired by. ``At that time, we were trying to think of something fun and fabulous, and somehow, the name `Pink Martini' popped up in our heads and we loved it,'' she explained. With albums ``Sympathique'' (1997), ``Hang on Little Tomato'' (2004) and ``Hey Eugene!'' (2007), Pink Martini gained a following around the world. The band's penchant for digging up diverse musical genres from different eras, has earned them the description: ``musical archeologists.'' Forbes attributes the band's ``retro'' image to Lauderdale, who is a history buff and loves collecting old records. Inspiration for the band's music comes from a variety of sources such as foreign films, beautiful views and for Forbes, her son, Cameron. ``We have 14 musicians with different musical and cultural backgrounds, and it really motivates us to become better musicians. Some like Latin, some like classical music and some like jazz. We constantly influence each other and it makes Pink Martini who we are right now,'' Forbes said. The band released its fourth album, ``Splendor in the Grass,'' last year. Compared to its previous efforts, the lead vocalist said the latest album had a more laid-back atmosphere, plus a wider array of musical styles and languages. ``We were able to do more collaborations with other amazingly talented musicians on this album. It has more guests, and we have used so many different languages and styles, people who listen to this new album will feel as if they're going on a journey throughout the world,'' she said. Pink Martini has evolved throughout the years, not just the musicians themselves, but also its sound. ``We are now more aware of what we're doing, so I think we can be more flexible on stage and enjoy it more. But at the same time, because we know what we're doing, we might have lost a little bit of our naivete compared to when we all had started,'' Forbes said. She attributed Pink Martini's appeal to the band's universal themes and melodies. ``Our music is just all over the map, so I guess we can say we have something for everyone,'' Forbes said. Pink Martini will perform March 13 at Melon-AX Hall, eastern Seoul. Tickets are 99,000 won. Visit ticket.interpark.com (1544-1555) or call Private Curve at (02) 563-0595. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Guitarist Gary Moore to Visit in April

Blues guitarist Gary Moore will perform on April 30 at the Olympic Indoor Fencing Stadium in Olympic Park, southern Seoul. / Courtesy of Access Entertainment By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Blues guitarist Gary Moore is finally coming to Seoul for his first concert here on April 30. The 57-year-old British musician-songwriter, who is best known for ``Still Got the Blues'' and ``Parisienne Walkways,'' will be performing April 30 at the Olympic Indoor Fencing Stadium, Olympic Park, southern Seoul. Since he started his career in the 1960s, Moore has performed with the likes of B.B. King, Colosseum II, Thin Lizzy and blues band Skid Row. He has had a prolific career, releasing 26 albums from his debut album ``Grinding Stone'' in 1973 to ``Bad for You Baby'' in 2008. Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1952, Moore got into rock-and-roll first by listening to Elvis Presley and The Beatles. Seeing Jimi Hendrix and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers perform in his hometown in the 60s led Moore to the blues-rock sound that he would become known for. Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green was also a big influence in Moore's early days, acting as a mentor for the young guitarist. Later in his career, Moore paid tribute to his mentor in the album ``Blues For Greeny'' (1995). Moore joined the blues band Skid Row, which released three albums, but left to focus on a solo career. He released his first solo album, ``Grinding Stone,'' in 1973. It was a few years later when he scored a hit with the single ``Parisienne Walkways,'' which featured vocals from Phil Lynott. It peaked at number 8 on the U.K. singles charts in 1979. It is perhaps the song most identified with Moore. A re-recording of the song also reached number 32 on the U.K. charts in 1993. Throughout his career, Moore continued to experiment with different sounds and genres from jazz to rock to modern dance. But he still proved to be the best at blues music, returning to the genre with the well-received album ``Still Got the Blues'' (1990), featuring collaborations with Albert King, Albert Collins and George Harrison. Moore again became more experimental with his music on ``Dark Days In Paradise'' (1997) and ``A Different Beat'' (1999). He also formed a power trio called Scars with former Skunk Anansie bassist Cass Lewis and Primal Scream drummer Darrin Mooney. Scars released an album and went on tour in the U.K. in 2003. Moore once again returned to the blues genre with his last few albums ``Power of the Blues'' (2004), ``Old New Ballads Blues'' (2006), ``Close As You Get'' (2007) and ``Bad For You Baby'' (2008). Moore will be performing in Russia and Japan in early April, before heading to Seoul for the concert here on April 30. The concert starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are 132,000 won, 110,000 won and 88,000 won. Visit ticket.interpark.com or call 1544-1555. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Scorpions Releases Final 'Sting in the Tail'

German rock band Scorpions is releasing their final album, ``Sting in the Tail,'' in Korea this week. The band had earlier announced it will retire at the end of its world tour. / Courtesy of SonyBMG By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter German rockers Scorpions shocked fans around the world when they announced in January their retirement after more than 40 years in the music business. Frontman Klaus Meine believes it is only right for the Scorpions to end on a high note. ``We've been in this crazy rock world for four decades now. We are actually very happy to release our new album. ... We thought that it wise to wrap this thing up when we are at our highest level. But we are planning to do a world tour for at least two years, so it's not completely the end. Dear fans, please don't cry! This is a time to celebrate and let's enjoy the party,'' he said in an e-mail interview. The Scorpions, best known for the hits ``Winds of Change,'' ``Rock You Like a Hurricane,'' ``Still Loving You'' and ``Blackout,'' was founded by guitarist Rudolf Schenker. Since then, the hard rock band has released 20 albums and sold millions of records around the world. The band's current line-up also includes lead guitarist Matthias Jabs, bassist Pawel Maciwoda and drummer James Kottak. The decision to end the Scorpions came while they were recording the latest album, ``Sting in the Tail,'' which will be released this week in Korea. Schenker said the band's manager ― and long-time friend ― asked them if they could make a better album. It caused the band to stop and seriously think about their future. ``We can fly, jump high and go crazy on the stage for now. But what's next after four or five years? Will things still be satisfactory to us after a few years? So we made up our mind to create the best album ever and to finish our career as Scorpions,'' he said. Scorpions promised the new album is filled with classic rock and metal tunes that fans can enjoy. ``The title means `let's go crazy, let's have fun.' ... This is our last album, so we wanted to go wild, filled with rock spirit,'' Schenker said. The band kicked off its farewell ``Get Your Sting And Blackout World Tour,'' in Prague last week. The band hopes to leave fans with good memories of them performing at their best. While there is no date yet for a concert in Korea, the group members are excited about coming back. The band performed at a peace festival in Korea in the 1990s, and visited the demilitarized zone, which reminded them of Germany's own history of division. ``It's been about 20 years since the Berlin Wall collapsed. We understand what Koreans are going through emotionally. We hope that one day both Koreas will reunite and live in peace,'' Meine said. ``Korea has been always special to me. I guess it's because that we share a common historical background and we know about the sorrow from division. It was such a sad moment to see the North and South divided when we visited the border. Whenever I remember the place, I pray for the people,'' Schenker added. With 40 years together, the Scorpions is one of the longest-running rock groups. Meine attributes the band's longevity to their strong friendship. ``We all shared the same interest in rock music, even before we released our first album in 1972. We dreamed a lot of things together, and many of them became true. Friendship sustains you for better or worse. When ("Blackout") came out in 1982, I lost my voice and I thought I would never be able to sing again, but my friends told me, `Yes, you can do this. Just after rehab, you will sing again.' I will never forget that. I can't thank them enough,'' Meine said. While the Scorpions are planning to retire from the music industry, it does not mean that the members will be giving up on music. Meine said he might make a solo album, but there are no definite plans yet. ``I'm a musician! I will always live as a musician and a songwriter. The band might be over but I am pretty excited about the second chapter of my life,'' he said. Schenker said he will work on new music with his brother and fellow musician Michael Schenker, as well as write a book about the Scorpions. ``I want Scorpions to be remembered as a great live band. I also wish that many of our songs will be remembered and sung generation after generation,'' Meine said. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Jisan Rock Fest Reveals First Line-up

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Summer is still a few months away, but preparations are already underway for two of Korea's biggest rock festivals. British rockers Muse, electronic act Massive Attack and Scottish folk group Belle & Sebastian will be hitting the stage at the Jisan Valley Rock Festival this summer. The Jisan Valley Rock Festival, in only its second year, will be held at the Jisan Forest Resort in Icheon for three days, from July 30 to Aug. 1. Aside from the international bands, Korean rock acts Moonshiners, Schizo, 3rd Line Butterfly and Yi Sung Yol are also slated to perform at the festival. Rival Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival will be held a weekend earlier than Jisan Valley, from July 23 to 25, at the new sports complex Dream Park in Incheon. However, no line-up or ticket details have been announced as of yet. At the Jisan Valley Rock Festival, Muse will be headlining the last day. The band has performed in Korea several times, including a headlining performance at Pentaport in July 2007 and a concert this January. Muse, composed of Matthew Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard, is known as one of the most exciting live rock bands today. Hit songs include ``Time is Running Out,'' ``Knights of Cydonia,'' ``Starlight,'' ``Supermassive Black Hole'' and ``Uprising.'' Belle & Sebastian is an indie pop group from Glasgow, Scotland. Its members are Stuart Murdoch, Stevie Jackson, Chris Geddes, Sarah Martin, Mick Cooke, Bobby Kildea and Richard Colburn. Since 1997, the band has released several critically acclaimed albums, including ``Tigermilk,'' ``If You're Feeling Sinister,'' ``The Boy with the Arab Strap'' and ``The Life Pursuit.'' Massive Attack is composed of DJ Grant Marshall and MC Robert Del Naja, who are credited with starting the ``trip hop'' genre. It recently released its first album in seven years, ``Heligoland,'' showing the duo has not lost its touch in coming up with evocative tunes. Last year, Jisan and Pentaport went head-to-head, as both festivals were held on the same weekend. Jisan impressed festival-goers with its well-organized event, ``green'' theme and strong line-up of foreign acts that included Oasis, Weezer, Basement Jaxx, Patti Smith, Fall Out Boy and Starsailor. On the other hand, Pentaport focused more on local indie rock acts and offered lower ticket prices. To prepare fans for the Jisan Valley Rock Festival, organizer Nine Factory is holding a club concert, ``Valley Bridge 2010,'' at the V-Hall, Hongdae on April 23. A one-day pass for the Jisan Valley Rock Festival is 99,000 won, a two-day pass is 143,000 won and a three-day pass is 176,000 won. Three thousand three-day passes are available at a special early bird 20 percent discount for 140,800 won. Tickets are available on ticket.interpark.com. Visit www.valleyrockfestival.com. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Album Reviews

Jeff Beck `Emotion & Commotion' (Warner Music Korea) Legendary British guitarist Jeff Beck still likes to take risks with his music, as shown on his first album in seven years, ``Emotion & Commotion.'' He paired his guitar with a 64-piece orchestra for most of the album, on which he does covers of Puccini's ``Nessun Dorma,'' ``Somewhere Over the Rainbow'' from Wizard of Oz and ``Corpus Christi Carol.'' The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist shows no sign of aging, experimenting with his guitar and sound. He collaborated with singers Joss Stone on ``I Put a Spell on You'' and ``There's No Other Me,'' Imelda May on ``Lilac Wine'' and Olivia Safe on ``Elegy for Dunkirk.'' There are also original tracks ``Hammerhead'' and ``Never Alone.'' - Cathy Rose A. Garcia Massive Attack `Heligoland' (Warner Music Korea) Seven years after their last album, Massive Attack is back with ``Heligoland,'' named after the German archipelago. The British duo is in top form with their moody and simple but brilliant album. The opening track ``Pray for Rain,'' featuring Tunde Adebimpe of TV On The Radio, sets the melancholic tone for the rest of the album. Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn lends his vocals on the haunting ``Saturday Come Slow,'' while ``Flat of the Blade'' pairs Guy Garvey's voice with repetitive electronic beeps and beats. The standout track is ``Paradise Circus'' with its gorgeous melody and Hope Sandoval's silky vocals. Electronica music is the biggest trend these days, but Massive Attack shows us how it's done the right way. - Cathy Rose A. Garcia Alexandra Burke `Overcome' (SonyBMG) Alexandra Burke, who emerged as the winner on the U.K. talent show "X-Factor" last year, has come out with a polished debut album. She's certainly got the vocal chops, but often compared to previous "X-Factor" winner Leona Lewis. To distinguish herself, Burke goes for the R&B route, helped by producers like RedOne and Stargate. Burke sings with rapper Flo Rida on ``Bad Boys'' and Ne-Yo on ``Good Night Good Morning.'' She flirts with different styles, Motown on ``Bury Me,'' trendy electronica on ``Nothing But The Girl,'' but also includes the requisite big ballad ``Overcome.'' Included is her cover of Leonard Cohen's ``Hallelujah,'' which propelled her win in X-Factor. - Cathy Rose A. Garcia Gardot Proves Music's Healing Power American singer Melody Gardot will be performing in Seoul for the first time at Centennial Hall, Yonsei University, Tuesday. / Courtesy of Private Curve By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter It takes a story like American jazz artist Melody Gardot's to truly believe in the healing power of music. Gardot was a 19-year-old student when she was hit by a car, suffering brain and spinal injuries that landed her in the hospital for a year. But through music therapy, the now 25-year-old singer has not just fully recovered, but also has a flourishing career in music. ``It took years to recover to the place I am now, where I have the ability to do things I had never imagined. Even walking up a flight of stairs at that time seemed like an impossibility. So a doctor suggested music therapy as he believed it would help in many ways, and very naturally, I took to guitar. Progress came immediately in my speech and my mobility, as well as the discovery of facility for music,'' she told The Korea Times in an e-mail interview. Music therapy, Gardot said, helped restore and rebuild the neural pathways in her brain and contributed to drastic improvement in her memory and speech. Her personal experience has led her to become a staunch advocate of the therapy. As a child, she played the piano but in the hospital, Gardot took up guitar and started singing. After recovering from her injuries, she performed at various music venues around Philadelphia, and her demo record attracted the attention of Universal Music. She recorded her debut CD ``Worrisome Heart,'' which includes songs she wrote while at the hospital, and released it in 2006. ``I didn't choose jazz; jazz chose me. I've never aspired to make `jazz music,' I simply aspired to make music that was in a word, self-soothing and relevant to the resonating sounds I was hearing somewhere tucked in the back of my mind,'' she said. Despite successfully transitioning from music therapy to a professional career in the field, she's not quite sure how it happened; ``that's a question for the gods,'' she said. Her second album, ``My One and Only Thrill,'' was released last year. Gardot described recording the album as a ``dream state inserted into a wakened state.'' Her favorite songs are the title track and ``Deep Within the Corners of My Mind,'' because both ``make me want to curl up on a sofa and melt away.'' As a musician and songwriter, Gardot said she is inspired by ``greatness.'' ``In truth, inspiration comes from anyone who creates music with great soul and great essence. ... Music lyrics and melody all come at the same time, it's like being struck by lightning,'' she said. Music is an important part of Gardot's life. She even gets poetic, describing music's effect on her. ``It's everything and it is nothing. It's vaporous and fleeting, but the greatest thing about it is when it comes, it comes on strongly like the boldest breeze and even if it lasts only for a moment in passing, the sweetness of its arrival sits like a wave upon water. Its stays with me even long after it's passed. It's as if it feeds my soul and then pumps through my veins,'' she said. Her dark sunglasses might seem like a trendy fashion statement, but Gardot has to wear them all the time because of hypersensitivity to light, a lasting effect from her injuries. She is also sensitive to sound, which might seem like a problem when performing on stage with loud music and bright lights. ``I have special instructions for the lighting technician on how to still capture a beautiful image without blinding me. Sound wise, the music is mixed in my ears to have less abrasive tones from instruments like the bass and the drums,'' she said. Gardot promises to give a memorable show at her first solo show in Seoul at the Centennial Hall, Yonsei University, Tuesday. ``The live show is not the same as the album. It's more vibrant and intentionally varied,'' she said. Tickets are 77,000 and 88,000 won. The concert starts at 8 p.m. Visit ticket.interpark.com/global for bookings in English. For more information, call (02) 563-0595. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

art stories in March 2010

Bojagi' Tradition Reborn as 'Bobos' in US Korean-American artist Patricia Lee is introducing the Korean traditional wrapping fabric ``bojagi,'' with a modern twist, to the U.S. market, through her Bobo Wrapping Scarf Company. / Courtesy of Patricia Lee By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter It only takes one glance at the zebra prints, bright floral patterns and polka dot fabrics of Bobo Wrapping Scarf Company to know that these are not your grandmother's ``bojagi.'' The traditional Korean wrapping cloth has been updated with a fresh and funky twist for the American market, thanks to Korean-American artist Patricia Lee. Lee came up with the idea of introducing bojagi as an eco-friendly alternative to gift wrapping paper in the U.S. In a telephone interview with The Korea Times, Lee said she was disgusted with the amount of trash generated from gift wrapping and packaging during the Christmas holidays. According to the U.S. Clean Air Council, an additional 4 million tons of wrapping paper and shopping bags are generated during the holiday season. ``Even worse was the thought that so many other American families were going through the same mindless ritual we were and creating millions of tons of garbage! That's when I decided to try wrapping with bojagi for my family and friends, and never wrapped with paper again,'' she said. Lee, who lives in Connecticut with her husband and two children, began learning how to sew and make her own bojagi. She started giving bojagi-wrapped gifts to her friends, and it proved to be an instant hit. What started as a hobby for Lee eventually became a business. ``It really touched a nerve with people. Everyone wants to become more eco-friendly. People think I'm a genius for this, but I keep telling them, no, I didn't invent it,'' she laughed. ``It's a tradition that's been around for centuries in Korea. ... I remember when I was in college, I visited my aunt in Korea and she was using bojagi. I thought she was a genius, but she thought I was laughing at her because many people in Korea think it's very old-fashioned and only used by old people.'' But Lee saw bojagi's potential, especially in the U.S. where people are becoming more conscious about reducing their carbon footprint. To make it more appealing to the American consumer, she began calling it ``bobos,'' a catchy name that would be easy for people to remember. Described as ``eco-luxe reusable wraps,'' the bobos are now available in luxurious Asian-inspired brocades, trendy animal prints, quirky stripes and floral patterns. Lee uses fabrics purchased on the secondary market in New York City ― where designers' leftover materials are sold ― and then creates all the styles and color combinations of the doubled-sided wrapping scarves. Lee, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, also published a book, ``The Wrapping Scarf Revolution,'' last September. The book, which details the history of the wrapping scarf and various wrapping styles, targets DIY enthusiasts who want to learn how to make their own wrapping scarves. The Bobo Wrapping Scarf Company has only been around for two years, but it is slowly taking off. During the busy holiday season, Lee appeared on several TV shows, including the popular Good Morning America, to introduce this Korean tradition that combines style with functionality. ``It is definitely a challenge to try to convince Americans that they can actually tie the knots and I invest a lot of time communicating to people how simple it is to use wrapping scarves,'' she said. The bobo wrapping scarves are available in 60 stores nationwide in the U.S., as well as in Japan and Canada. Prices range from $14 to $48, depending on the size and fabric. Ironically, the bojagi tradition is not as popular in Korea as before. ``While we can treasure and cherish the ancient bojagi tradition, we must redesign and reinvent it for the modern world. ... I think people should take a look at the things that allowed Korea to so quickly become such an advanced country and take pride in things like the ingenious bojagi, which is so indicative of the Korean spirit to be resourceful and not waste,'' she said. Lee, who moved to the U.S. when she was five, is happy to share this aspect of Korean culture with Americans. ``When I was young, there were no other Koreans at my school. No one knew where Korea was and (people) kept calling me Chinese or Japanese. There are so many uniquely wonderful things about Korean culture that are not widely known and I hope to share more of our culture with the global community,'' she said. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr Debbie Han Wins Top Asian Art Prize

Debbie Han's ``Seated Three Graces'' won the jury prize at the 2009 Sovereign Asian Art Prize in Hong Kong last January. / Courtesy of the artist By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter The first thing that you notice about Korean-American artist Debbie Han is her hair: perfectly gelled to stick out in different directions, like a character from Dragon Ball. ``A lot of people ask me about my hair,'' Han admitted with a laugh during an interview with The Korea Times at her home in northern Seoul last week. These days though, Han is attracting more attention for her art, after she won the jury prize at the 2009 Sovereign Asian Art Prize last January. Han became the first artist representing Korea to receive the award, whose $25,000 prize is the largest in Asia, for the piece ``Seated Three Graces.'' Her work, which challenges the Western standard of beauty, features three nude Asian women with prototypical Western classical heads, seemingly chatting while squatting on the floor. ``This award to me really validates my decision, my vision and the crazy, creative journey I've been through to actualize these visions in the last six years in Korea,'' she said. ``My work really took off on a very different level after I moved back to Korea.'' The Korean-born Han migrated to the U.S. with her family when she was in elementary school. She majored in art at the University of California, Los Angeles and received a master's degree from Pratt Institute in New York. As an artist working in Los Angeles, Han still felt a strong urge to return to her home country. So, in 2003, she came back to take part in an artist residency program. ``I had a vision, a strong desire to document what was happening in Korea and Asia at this moment, through my own eyes. I grew up in the U.S., and when I came to Korea, I wanted to get in touch with my heritage, and feel an Asian cultural identity. But what I saw was a strong Westernization in every level of society, arts and culture, not just in Korea but in Asia. I thought `Why is there such an obsession with keeping up with the Western trends?''' she said. Her first solo show here was ``Idealistic Oddity'' in 2004 where she criticized the art education system in Korea, which required students to make exact copies of classical European figures, such as Venus de Milo, as part of their applications to universities. ``It's once again like worshipping and idealizing the Western standard of art, and passing it down as art,'' she said. The longer she stayed in Korea, the more Han realized this obsession to conform to Western standards was becoming more widespread in society, like with the plastic surgery craze. Through her works, Han continued to challenge people's perceptions of beauty and conformity to Western standards. In the series ``Terms of Beauty,'' she created sculpture busts of Venus, a symbol of Western classical beauty, with altered facial features to have the stereotypical featrues such as slanted eyes, hooked noses and wide mouths. Instead of marble, she used the ancient Korean ceramic tradition of celadon, which proved to be an arduous process. In three years, she tried to perfect the technique, making 173 casts but only seven survived. It's the same kind of passion that Han feels when she's tackling the issues of beauty, identity and perception. ``For me, it has to be a journey to get to the essence of the meaning of life. Why are we the way we are and why do we think the way we do? Sometimes you have to deconstruct your own system of perception in order to understand the meaning of it all through your own eyes,'' she said. Apart from challenging the Western standards of beauty, Han also sought to idealize Asian beauty in her ``Graces'' photograph series. It depicted nude Asian women, with every skin pore and hair on the body digitally removed to make it smooth like marble, and their heads replaced with goddess sculpture heads. ``I'm an Asian woman and I had to do that since no one was doing that. Everyone is pressuring Asian women to conform to the Western standards. Someone has to come and justify and validate the beauty and existence of Asian beauty as it is, not in a didactic way but in a way that can be revealing,'' the 41-year-old artist said. However, Han is ending these series of sculptures and photographic works this year, and will start fresh with a new series in 2011, although she does not know what it will be yet. Looking back on her six years in Korea, Han admitted she went through times where she felt like ``an idiot who couldn't give up her impossible visions.'' ``I felt the last six years of my time in Korea has taught me to endure, stay with the vision and go through with it no matter what. It made me stronger and I became more mature as an artist, and I think that's the greatest thing I learned, and my work reflected that,'' she said. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

New Shows to Be Held at Art Sonje Center

Ham Yang-ah’s “Chocolate Head” is part of the “Adjective Life in the Nonsense Factory” at Art Sonje Center, Hwa-dong, Jongno. / Courtesy of Samuso By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Art Sonje Center is opening two shows by two Europe-based Korean artists, Ham Yang-ah and Jeuno JE Kim, on Saturday. Ham, who has been working in the Netherlands since 2006, is presenting new works of chocolate sculptures, multimedia installations and videos at the exhibition ``Adjective Life in the Nonsense Factory'' on the second floor of the center. Ham's pieces focus on the individuals in contemporary life, rooted in her deep-seated interest in ``the idea of the individual as the smallest and densest unit of life.'' ``Chocolate Head'' is a series of head sculptures of famous curators around the world, while ``Out of Frame'' is a video installation that shows performances with the chocolate sculptures. ``Pole Installation as Individual in the Society'' is an interactive work that features a group of poles with video screens, speakers and microphones. ``Each pole represents one individual, showing the characters, emotions and grouped ideas by using diverse devices such as sound, video and objects. By installing a group of poles together, the artist also tries to reflect `individuality' and `universality of contemporaries' at the same time,'' organizers said in a statement. Another interesting piece is ``Collected Anonymous 2006-2007,'' featuring a collection of elastic hair bands that Ham found in the streets of Amsterdam. She brought them back to Korea and conducted DNA tests, even though there was little way of finding out whom the hair bands belonged to. ``Our lives are normally defined with nouns or verbs. However, Ham discovers various `adjectives' through diverse aspects of life within a society. These adjectives in life represent individual identity as well as emotions, insecurity, fantasy, desire and frustration that occur in reality or relationships with others, leading us to reflect upon myself and further define ourselves,'' organizers said. ``Fog Dossier,'' which can be found on the third floor of the center, is an exhibition showing the results of a research project by Kim, who resides in Sweden, and Tokyo-based curator Kyongfa Che. ``The project thinks about our relation to history, whether it is to observe, escape or to be free from it, and different personal and public collections/archives that offer new points of departure,'' organizers said. Included in the exhibition are three new works: a video ``The Collectors,'' a drawing installation ``The Collectors' Parade'' and ``Fog Research Dossier,'' a blueprint of the project with two books with images and text by the artist and curator. The project probes certain figures, events and history, and uses discovered material to generate new historical information and perspective. Kim and Che focused on four historical figures ― Yanagi Soetsu (1889 -1961), William Morris (1834-1896), Isabella Lucy Bird (1831-1904) and Georg Eberhard Rumphius (1627-1702). These historical figures do not seem to have anything in common, except for the vast number of records and archival materials they left behind. Their project operates between fiction and fact, generating art works that provoke unexpected responses. ``Each work, via narrative, collage and montage, is an attempt to collect relations and material, inserting in the historical layers personal experiences, so that it may become a part of a collective articulation that resists a monolithic take on history. In doing so, the project produces its own archive, a Fog Dossier,'' the organizers said. A curator's talk about Kim's show will be held on Saturday at 2 p.m. Ham will lead an artist's talk on March 26 at 7 p.m., and a video screening March 25 and 26 at 5 p.m. For more information, e-mail artsonje_edu@hanmail.net. Both exhibitions, curated by Samuso: Space for Contemporary Art, run until April 25 at Art Sonje Center, located in Hwa-dong, Jongno. Opening hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed on Mondays. Tickets are 3,000 won for adults and 1,500 won for students. Visit www.artsonje.org/asc or call (02) 733-8945. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Rodin Exhibition to Open April 30

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Famed French sculptor Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) will be coming to Seoul next month. ``Hand of God: Rodin Retrospective,'' touted as the first major Rodin retrospective in the country, will be held at the Seoul Museum of Art, downtown Seoul, from April 30 to August 22. The exhibition, organized by the Seoul Museum of Art, Hankook Ilbo and KBS, will feature 180 works from the collection of the Rodin Museum in Paris. This includes 110 sculptures and 40 sketches and drawings made by Rodin throughout the decades. Rodin is widely considered as the artist who revolutionized the world of sculpture. ``Rodin was the first sculptor to depict man not as god-like, but as human,'' said Seo Soun-jou, Hankook Ilbo Cultural Project Center director. Visitors will have a chance to marvel at the beauty and fluidity of Rodin's masterpieces, at the exhibition. ``I have always tried to render inner feelings through the mobility of the muscles... Without life, art does not exist,'' Rodin once said. Among his masterpieces to be displayed at the show are ``Hand of God,'' ``The Thinker'' and ``The Kiss.'' ``Hand of God,'' also known as ``Creation,'' is a beautiful marble sculpture of a gigantic hand holding a nude figure. In this piece, Rodin broke away from conventional compositions and adopted a form appealing to imagination. ``The hand powerfully molding the matter from which the human being is created represents the divinity bringing forth humanity from emptiness. It is also a symbolic image of the artist inventing a world,'' the Rodin Museum said, on its Web site. Rodin was also known as a sculptor of the erotic, for many of his pieces that explored sensuality, eroticism and passion. In ``The Kiss,'' two figures are locked in passionate embrace. The two figures were originally meant to represent Paolo and Francesca, characters from Italian poet Dante's ``Divine Comedy.'' Rodin's most famous work is probably ``The Thinker,'' which was originally intended to show Dante contemplating on his work and placed at the summit of ``Gates of Hell.'' The sculpture's meaning evolved to represent a man in a meditative pose. It was Rodin's first work to be placed in a public space, in front of the Pantheon in April 1906. It was later moved to the garden of the Rodin Museum. Another significant piece to be shown is Rodin's sculpture of French novelist Honore de Balzac, which ushered in the ``new sculptural language of the 20th century.'' Commissioned by the Societe des Gens de Lettres in 1883 to pay homage to Balzac, Rodin chose to depict the novelist not by physical appearance but the ``essence of his personality.'' The final work ``Balzac'' caused a stir and was rejected by the society. ``The Head of Camille Claudel'' is another representative work by Rodin, showing his mistress and fellow artist Claudel. Claudel, an aspiring sculptor, was only 17 when she met the 41-year-old Rodin in Paris in 1882. For years, they engaged in an intense affair, and Claudel became an artist, but was plagued with psychological problems and institutionalized for 30 years before her death. Other Rodin sculptures to be shown include ``Crouching Woman,'' ``Iris, Messenger of the Gods,'' ``Rodin's Hand'' and ``Eternal Spring.'' The Rodin exhibition in Seoul is expected to attract around 550,000 to 600,000 visitors during its nearly four-month run. This is the latest in a series of high-profile exhibitions of master artists, such as Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh and Pierre Auguste Renoir, in Seoul in recent years. So far, the most successful exhibition was the Van Gogh exhibition, which attracted 820,000 visitors during its run from Nov. 24, 2007 to March 16, 2008. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr